In a search for the best thermal coffee maker? Stay put, and I'll help you invest your money in the best possible way.

Coffee dates back to 800 A.D., and according to legend, dancing goats are the ones that we can thank for this favorite beverage. I think of myself as a coffee addict - I just can't imagine starting a day without coffee.

Since I found out that coffee can provide you much more than pure energy boost, I think I love it even more. One cup of black coffee can help you with your health - coffee is protecting us against type 2 diabetes, liver diseases, and lowers the risk of heart failure.

My husband and I believe that coffee is more than a drink - it is a culture. We enjoy it every day for years, and we really love the sensation it brings. When we found out that we can ease & speed up the process with a thermal coffee maker, we just had to purchase one.

We had our tries with coffee makers, but we could not find the perfect match, so eventually we gave up and forgot about it. But after a fun afternoon and many cups of delightful coffee at a friends house, I decided we need one more try.

So these days, I researched a lot to find the best thermal coffee maker and enjoy my favorite drink in my home. Here’s what I found out.

2. Better quality coffee

3. Hot coffee anytime

Most of these appliances have the option to delay brewing so you can optimize it for your needs. My husband wakes up at 5AM, and I like to sleep a little longer, which means we need to prepare coffee two times.

The solution is the thermal coffee maker - we set it the night before, and hot coffee will wait for my husband the next morning and stay that way when I wake up.

4. Ideal for those long nights

If you work late at night, or you like to always have prepared coffee at your disposal, this is the way to achieve that. When my kids were little, the nights were long and grueling, and all I wanted was an energy boost anytime I could get it.

But I was exhausted and didn't want to make another coffee every two hours. I wish we had that heavenly appliance when my babies had cramps.

Whether you are searching for your indulgence or you want to make someone special happy, I can help you find the best thermal coffee maker.

How to pick the best thermal coffee maker

Whenever you are searching for a gift to make that special someone very happy, or you want to indulge your taste buds, these are things you should pay attention to while buying a thermal coffee maker:

1. Capacity

The capacity of an ordinary coffee maker is from 8 to 14 cups per batch. What is ideal is up to you - for me, 10 cups are enough. No matter how long coffee stays hot, I like it freshly brewed, so the 14-cup setup is a bit too much for me if I don't want to throw that priceless beverage away.

You'll need to think this through primarily if is meant to be a gift - you really need to know the receiving person’s habits & preferences when it comes to coffee.

Sometimes the use of the full capacity of these machines can cause overflow or leakage. Flaws in the design aren't always visible to the naked eye, and there is no way you can predict whether your coffee maker will make a flood or will you end up with coffee grounds in your cup.

To prevent that, buy a thermal coffee maker with a slightly bigger capacity than you need.

2. Brew temperature

The refinement of making the perfect coffee has lasted for centuries, so do not think it's not science. Ideal brewing temperature range is around 195 - 205 degrees Fahrenheit.

On this temperature, you'll extract the most of coffee flavor during brewing and enjoy its full richness. On the other hand, if the machine makes coffee lukewarm, the carafe can't keep it hot.

A too high temperature of brewing will destroy the taste from coffee grounds - coffee will have burnt and bitter aroma and flavor. If you can't find the optimal temperature, go for a lower one; your coffee will be somewhat weaker, but you won't be sacrificing the flavor.

3. Carafe material

Carafes can be thermal or made from glass. Both have perks, and it is up to you to find what suits you more.

With a glass insulated coffee carafe, you rely on the heating plate to keep the coffee hot. This may result in burnt coffee taste when you decide to pour a cup one hour after brewing.

A thermal carafe gets around this problem. The insulated design keeps the coffee hot without needing to be heated. But some say that thermal carafe changes the taste of the coffee.

In my experience, if you have kids or you're clumsy, I suggest thermal ones - replacing carafe is not an easy or cheap project.

4. Functions

Modern times brought us an abundance of excellent options on our appliances. But don't be blinded by shiny buttons, and read the descriptions. Some of these options seem cool but do you really need them?

The delayed brewing process is useful if you want to get the best from both control and convenience. Also, many models offer the "pause and pour" option so you can grab your coffee before brewing ends if you are impatient or in a hurry.

Design of the whole machine is essential, too. How will you fill the water tank, which filter will you use and will it look good in your kitchen etc. are the questions you must ask yourself before you invest money.

Especially pay attention to carafe design: It has to be easy to hold while pouring, and by that, I don't mean that it has to be lightweight, I mean is it comfortably sitting in your hand and allows you to have a firm grip.

Openings on carafe are in most cases designed to be narrow (to maintain the temperature of coffee for a long time) but if you can't pour nicely or you have to twist your arm in a weird way while doing that it loses its purpose.

Look for the carafe that has proportionate bottleneck compared to the body.

Some models I stumbled upon have a self-cleaning program, and that is absolutely fantastic. Sometimes that process lasts far too long, but this should not be a deal breaker. Most of the makers that not have that feature are easily cleaned manually. Look for a carafe that is dishwasher safe if you want cleaning to be effortless.

5. Easy disassembling

The self-clean program doesn't clean the water tank, filters, or exterior of the maker, so it is essential that these parts are easy to disassemble and clean.

The removable water tank is an outstanding advantage because it allows you to remove it and clean it either in the kitchen sink or in the dishwasher.

A thermal coffee machine that has detachable parts is easier to clean and maintain because you can wash every component separately, and there are fewer hard-to-reach places.

With my reviews on the best thermal coffee maker and paying close attention to the things listed above, you'll get your dream machine in no time.

Cuisinart has remarkable brand cachet, and they rank among the top ten sellers so it is no surprise that their DCC-3400 coffee maker has impressive features.

Firstly, it boasts of 12-cup capacity, which is OK. With Cuisinart DCC-3400, the coffee gets brewed using expert coffee-making technology allowing you to adjust whether you like regular or bold coffee.

Also, you can set it 24 hours in advance, so fresh coffee can make your morning brighter. And if a self-cleaning feature doesn't put a smile on your face, I don't know what will.

The carafe is heavy, solid, and fits snugly inside of the unit, so there is no leakage. Plus it keeps coffee hot for more than four hours.

But it has to be tilted forward excessively to get the coffee (or water when filling) out. This is especially annoying when it comes to filling because It can leak all over the counter or on a heating plate.

This may result in rust on the warmer plate or on the bottom of the coffee maker. Or worse, it is a potential danger of electric shock. The shower-head style of the water drip gives an even distribution of water over the coffee grounds, but if you want to make 12 cups at one time don’t get surprised by a few coffee grounds in your coffee.

This product is definitely not perfect, but with some care and creativity when it comes to pouring and filling, your coffee will be.

Pros

The capacity of 12 cups

Delayed brewing

You can sneak a cup before it finishes

Carafe keeps coffee hot for a long time

Cons

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Poorly designed carafe for pouring or filling

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If you brew at full capacity, coffee grounds can end up in your coffee

Being a morning person, I had my life quite comfortable, but after a couple of rough nights with my then toddlers, I learned to appreciate a cup of hot coffee waiting for me.

If you have someone who makes you coffee in the morning hug them tight, but if not, I have to introduce you to Mr. Coffee. Its sleek design is not that huggable, but it will make you 10 cups of strong and hot coffee under seven minutes.

That time is, according to coffee experts, perfect for brewing to achieve ideal results. But those experts may not hurry to take their children to school or are already late for work. Don't worry, this machine got your back - you can pause and pour the first cup before brewing is finished.

I guess you can have it both ways - control and convenience. You can delay brew up to 24 hours, so your cup of coffee will wait for you whenever you want. And with the fresh brew timer, you don't have to guess if coffee is fresh.

This machine brews your coffee at 205 F degrees which ensures that you get that rich and full taste and a steel carafe will make sure your coffee stays at the ideal temperature (182 F degrees) for hours.

The removable water reservoir is an excellent idea, but it is next to the compartment for coffee grounds, so you'll have to move the whole maker left and right quite often. And if you have a limited countertop, this may be a problem.

Leakage can be a problem too, and it will happen if you forget to empty the carafe before the new brew. Mr. Coffee has a self-cleaning program (that lasts 45 minutes - long but it does all by itself) but it won't clean your countertop or floor so be careful.

Black and Decker are not well-known in the coffee maker industry like other brands. When you hear B&D, you’d expect a tool of some sort, but it turns out, they make everything. Let’s see what their thermal coffee maker can do.

Firstly I have to mention the capacity - 12 cups per brewing sounds quite good when you think about it, especially if you never had a machine like this in your household.

This coffee maker is a little bit slower than its competitors, but it is worth waiting for because it makes very good coffee. And you can always stop it temporarily so you can pour your first cup before brewing ends.

Not all of us like bold coffee, so it is nice to adjust the brew strength and this maker not only has this function but also it remembers the last settings used, which is very convenient.

Even stream showerhead is a technology advertised to extract maximum flavor while wasting less, but sometimes water is delivered to the basket too fast. That results in the filter basket run over with water and grounds get into the coffee.

The thermal carafe is vacuum-sealed, and it has a wide mouth that makes it easier to clean and pour. Though carafe is made from durable materials and can keep your coffee hot (149 F degrees) for a couple of hours, the base is not that long-lasting.

It is made from plastic, and the print on the buttons wears off pretty quickly. You'll have to be careful not to bump the buttons while moving the unit accidentally. If you hit the hour or minute button, it will advance the time on the clock forward.

The LCD clock has big digits but I must either lean over or tilt the unit up toward my face to see the clock and adjust the settings. It's not that big of a deal, but it is not the most convenient thing.

I would not call this coffee maker a regular one because it needs to stay on all day and with full water tank at all times. Unless you want a cup of coffee every hour, this machine is energy waste.

It makes good coffee in less than 4 minutes, and it has a unique spray head so your coffee will have an excellent and rich taste. It can brew 10 cups from one batch, but you'll have to wait for the brewing process to be finished before you can enjoy it.

Double wall, vacuum insulated carafe will keep your coffee warm (but not hot) up to two hours. It is not necessary for coffee to be burning hot - it is just what I prefer. It might be a deal breaker for you.

The water tank is plastic, and sometimes when heated up, it smells like plastic burning. After several uses, the smell is gone.

It doesn't have a brew button - the maneuver of opening and closing the lid of the tank is a replacement for this function. It starts brewing the moment you close the lid so be sure you put the pot underneath because the water rushes out immediately.

And leaving an open lid may contaminate water with dust, and that is not what you want in your coffee. All things considered, this device is more suitable for offices than for homes.

The design of thermal coffee makers are all pretty much similar, but this one is definitely more stylish, and I believe that will fit any kitchen. Beauty aside, this is a powerful machine that you can optimize to work for your needs.

Your ten cups of coffee, which is the capacity of this Barsetto coffee maker, can be ready within 1.5 minutes. But that speed comes with a downside: temperature is notably high (up to 265 F degrees), and that can result in burnt-like coffee taste.

It has multiple advanced options like delayed brewing (you can set it up to 24 hours in advance), heat preservation function, and the anti-drip system which keeps the maker and table clean so you can remove the glass carafe at any time without worry the glass is quite durable. With a combination of heat preservation function, your coffee will be hot for hours.

It has a removable filter basket and funnel, so the cleaning process is fast and easy. The glass coffee carafe is dishwasher safe. Inserting the basket is a little tricky, but you'll get used to it.

Because of the unusual filter basket, some of the coffee grounds may end up in your coffee. But with some practice, you can master it and on the bright side, there is no need for the additional filter, so it is economical and environmental.

Pros

Fast

Delayed brewing

Good capacity

Heat preservation function

Cons

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A very high brew temperature

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Burnt-like coffee

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Unusual basket filter

Conclusion

If you are buying for yourself, I think that Mr. Coffee 10-Cup Coffee Maker is the most suitable one for you. It has a high capacity, there is no danger of burnt coffee taste, and you can pause brewing to pour a cup for the situation when even seconds matters.

If this machine is a gift, consider Cuisinart DCC-3400. Cuisinart is a well-known brand, and it has a good reputation. Combined with impressive features, I have no doubt it will be a great gift.

Finding the best thermal coffee maker is not a simple task, but with my honest reviews, you'll decide more easily. Be free to share your experience with me, and if you have additional questions, I'll be more than glad to answer them!

Barbara Whitney

For the last 20 years, I’ve been cooking, preparing, researching, and gathering recipes, tools, and knowledge about food and the way we prepare it. Raising two lively boys and spoiling one great husband later, it’s safe to say that I’ve optimized my kitchen to deliver the best possible meal, no matter the occasion.

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